Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-12-17

was to be lost. In half IN hour It would
he SO Light as to render their escape Inn
roesiblc They were ell in the loft ard
Andrews was given the first chance. OF
course all letters had been removed The
ror.c was passed out, and Andrews crawled
through, and in a moment was swinging
outside; but In getting out be happened to
push OF loose brick, which fell to the
ground and gave thoalarm- The nearest
guard raised bis muskct and fired ct the
man hanging on the rope, but missed bic
aim Andrews had his boots In his hand,
but In the excitement let them fall and
could not stop to pick them mp He after
wards sorely needed then- But in his
stocking feet he flung himself over the
fence and through the guard line, repeat
edly fired at but unhurt. John Wo.lari
followed. and while he was in the air he
was fred at by other guards, but sue
ceeded in getting out of the yard unhurt.
Those who had failed to get out crawled
down and got On their irons again, and it
was a great mystery how the two men
alone had been able to effect their escape
Andrews and Wollam separated as soon
as they left the prison. The former ran
short distance beyond the skirts OF the
town, after having taken precautions to
throw the dogs OF his track, and finding
1t too light to travel further In safety,
climbed into a tree with dense foliage,
which stood in plain view Of the railroad.
All day long he watched the running OF
the trains so close that he could have
tossed pebble on them, and once heard q
party In pursuit talking about his mys-
FERROUS disappearance. The search was
patient and complete, but they did not
think Of looking over their heads.
He descended at nightfall and swan the
deep and rapid river feeling that his best
course was TO gel into the loyal moun-
famous country, through which he would
only need to journey short distance TO
rcaeh The Ji.iOn lines. His prospect now
would lave been good but for the loss VI
Loots and h..t in the first rush. ana the
additional loss of his coat in swimming
the river. His course was in the nam
down the river, but he could not make
rapid progress. The sharp stones in the
darkness socn cut away his stockings and
' left the bleeding feet unprotected. He
bound them up with portions OF his gar
ments as well rs be could, and continued
on his desperate and painful way. But
= he was a little too long in finding hiding
| place. and was observed in the morning
twilight just as he was crossing an open
| field beyond, in which he intended to
. take shelter, as he had done the day be-
| fore. Instantly the alarm WAS given end
| pursuit made by men and dogs. With
| boots and other clothing he might have
escaped, for he could probably have made
| such use Of the stream us to elude them.
\ AS it was he put forth every effort.
Dashing through the woods he regained
the river bank much lower down than he
had crossed the night before. Believing
that he was now unobserved, he swan a
narrow channel to a mall island, and
carefully concealed himself among some
GIiftwood at its upper end.
But the hunters were determined To
leave no spot unsearched. A party with
bloodhounds now crossed over from the
mainland and explored the whole island.
He was soon found but broke away from,
them and ran around the lower end OF
the island, wading in the shallow water
to throw the hounds off the track; then
he plunged into a dense tbicket with
which the island was covered, and again
assembled tree. For long time he
found secure concealment here, his foes
being frequently under the very tree.
They finally concluded that he must have
got back over the strip of water to the
mainland, and slowly returned to seek
him there. Two little boys who had only
followed for curiosity were all that lin
gered behind.
One Of the boys happened to look up,
and said to the other that he saw n great
bunch on tree The second looked tC
see what it was-shifted his position
looked again and exclaimed that 1t was O
mani They cried out in alarm, and thus
announced their discovery to their friends
on shore. The latter instantly returned
and Andrews, seeing himself discovered
the story is almost too pitiful to be told
dropped from the tree, ran to the lower
end Of the island seized II small. dead log
and with limb for a paddle pushed into
the stream, hoping to reach the opposite
shore before he could be ovcrtaken. Sc
far as the island pursuers were concerned
he might have succeeded; but there was
another party with skiiT lower down the
stream who showed out to meet him. Tn,
helpless man could do no more, and was
taken.
The struggle had been one of almost
hopeless agony. He had eaten nothing
since Sunday afternoon, and it was now
o'clock on Tuesday His back was bis
tered by exposure, unprotected, to Thu
sun, and his feet were covered with bleed
ing gashes He said that he felt 81
wretched and miserable that the though
of certain death, TO which he then re
signed himself, had no further terror.